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New Yorkers will soon be able to sail directly from the Big Apple to Atlantic City, the home of some of the country’s most iconic land-based properties. As the broader gambling landscape continues to shift alongside the rise of legal online casinos in the US, traditional retail destinations are looking for innovative ways to attract regional visitors. Seastreak Ferries, which currently runs ferries between New York City and Atlantic Highlands, a Shore destination in Monmouth County, could potentially be interested in opening a new route directly to Atlantic City, according to promoters of the $4 billion Intercoastal Motorcar & Yacht Club in Bader Field.
Seastreak Ferries could well launch a high-speed ferry on this route come next summer, departing from Lower Manhattan and docking at Farley State Marina, close to the Golden Nugget Casino. Tommy Carr, a partner in Deem Development, the organization behind the proposed Bader Field project, says that the trip would take about 2.5 hours, with a roundtrip costing about $145.
Driving development and tourism
Deem Development has an agreement with Atlantic City to use the city’s old municipal airfield on Albany Avenue as the site for its proposed ambitious project. Under the terms of the agreement, Deem would buy the site for $100 million and contribute $15 million to a community center.
Carr says that the company has secured the necessary financing to execute the transaction. “We’re trying to help develop Atlantic City. We need tourists. We need families to start coming down and buying properties,” he said. According to Carr, the project has already drawn interest from celebrities, athletes, and even a Middle Eastern prince.
Carr has also held various meetings with stakeholders to drum up interest in the project, including with New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill at the governor’s residence in Drumthwacket. Notably, Gov. Sherrill described the Bader Field project as a “huge opportunity” for the city. However, she also noted that she still has questions about the proposal.
Overall, developers of higher-end residential homes have demonstrated renewed interest in Atlantic City, including Kushner Co., K. Hovnanian, and Brian Zoubek. Atlantic City has emerged as one of the last places along the Jersey Shore where oceanfront property is affordable as real estate prices skyrocket elsewhere across the Shore.
Carr believes that Atlantic City has reached its “luxury moment” despite the planned expansion of downstate commercial New York casinos, which some believe may lead to the closure of some of the casinos here. “In five years, you’re not even going to know Atlantic City. I have seen it with Long Branch. I have seen it with Asbury Park. People are investing in Atlantic City,” he said.
The proposed Intercoastal Motorcar & Yacht Club
According to the developers, the proposed Intercoastal Motorcar & Yacht Club entails a “holistic, sustainable redevelopment” of Bader Field. The project will include between 1,237 and 1,400 residential houses, ranging from market-rate townhouses to ultra-luxury waterfront mega-residences.
There will also be a private, members-only motorsports circuit with a 2.44-mile road racing track designed for luxury and high-performance cars. However, instead of Formula One-style racing, the circuit will host private driving experiences, car showcases, and auto museum events. Moreover, there’ll be specialized garage storage with a capacity to hold up to 5,000 collector vehicles.
The project will also feature extensive green infrastructure, with Deem aiming for a net-zero carbon status. The old airfield runways will be adapted into walking trails, bike paths, and a waterfront retail promenade. Moreover, the developers plan to raise the low-lying field by up to 35 feet to function as a storm surge barrier for Atlantic City.
Notably, Carr said that the proposed Intercoastal Motorcar & Yacht Club project is at least five years from completion. The project is still in its early structural phases, with groundbreaking still awaiting crucial environmental approvals by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP).
What a high-speed ferry ride would look like
James Barker, owner of Seastreak, says that the company currently has two 600-person high-speed ferries that can sail the new route: the Commodore and the Courageous. He further said that there are even higher-speed ferries that can cut the transit time to two hours.
“Those boats are comfortable. There’s Wi-Fi and a bar. They can do their last Zoom call of the day, and no one has to know they’re on a boat,” he said.
“It’s a feasibility question. Do we have boats that will be available in peak season? We’re excited about the opportunity. We’re still trying to understand what the Atlantic City opportunity looks like. The Commodore and the Courageous, those are our workhorses, some of the best commuter boats in the country,” Barker said.
Seastreak Ferries runs 19 trips between New York City and Atlantic Highlands during peak season. Barker also said that the company operates routes from New York City to Martha’s Vineyard and then on to Nantucket, noting that travelers would find a lot to like if those ferries were to run to Atlantic City.
Carr also noted that another company, Tradewind Aviation, based in Connecticut, is also looking to expand its charter service to Atlantic City. The company has a fleet of 40 small jets that it operates out of smaller regional airports like Teterboro. Notably, the international airport at Atlantic City has experienced a decline in traffic since Spirit Airlines shut down in May.
